Companies that produce merchandise which is displayed and sold in small packages, such as cigarettes, chewing gum, candy bars and the like, are always interested in display apparatus which will accommodate their merchandise and an advertising message almost anyplace in a retail store. A very popular location for such apparatus is at a check-out counter of a supermarket, chain drug store or the like.
Such apparatus needs to be of a type which can be shipped knocked down and easily assembled in a retail store; and because of the numerous different types of locations in which such display apparatus must be placed, it is highly desirable for the apparatus to be readily adapted to any of a variety of different situations. Sometimes more space is available horizontally than vertically, and vice versa. Sometimes the shelving in a retail store has horizontal or vertical rails upon which a display apparatus may be mounted; or in other situations it may be possible to place such a display directly upon a check-out counter.
It is also desirable, of course, that the apparatus be reasonably attractive to the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 254,821 discloses a cigarette package display rack which is the closest thing to the present apparatus that is known to the inventors. Another type of device for a related purpose is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,707, issued Aug. 29, 1978.
Patents which illustrate assembly arrangements which are broadly similar to that of the present invention include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,528, issued Feb. 12, 1974, and 3,669,035, issued June 13, 1972, both of which are systems that have containers with hooks on their back walls for mounting upon a post or other structure.
Patents which show racks or baskets that can be fastened together end-to-end, in some cases by means of dovetail connections, include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,704,792, issued Dec. 5, 1972; 3,851,936, issued Dec. 3, 1974; 3,857,482, issued Dec. 31, 1974; 3,874,510, issued Apr. 1, 1975; 4,228,903, issued Oct. 21, 1980; and 4,291,882, issued Sept. 29, 1981.
Patents in which containers are secured to a surface by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive strip include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,813, issued June 4, 1974, and 3,872,974, issued Mar. 25, 1975.
Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,981,599, issued Sept. 21, 1976, and 4,346,868, issued Aug. 31, 1982, illustrate adjustable ratchet connections between parts, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,800, issued May 18, 1980 expressly discloses a ratchet type adjustable mounting for a sign.
While some of the foregoing patents suggests bits and pieces of the apparatus of the present invention, none of them approaches the apparatus of the present invention for simplicity, convenience of assembly and installation, and versatility.